Artificial turf and grass football fields

We have football on the brain with Super Bowl Sunday coming up. Ever wonder about the types of football fields being used for game day? We’re digging up the dirt and taking a look at artificial turf and grass football fields.

We have football on the brain with Super Bowl Sunday coming up. Ever wonder about the types of football fields being used for game day? We’re digging up the dirt and taking a look at artificial turf and grass football fields.

We won’t be seeing real grass at the 2013 Super Bowl since the Mercedes-Benz Superdome installed UBU-Intensity Series S5-M Synthetic Turf in 2010. The New Orleans stadium has been using artificial turf since 1975 when Monsanto created a special turf for the Superdome called “Mardi Grass” — an appropriate name for this Mardi Gras hotspot.

Artificial grass might have more expensive installation costs, but savings are recouped since overall maintenance expenses are lower because a staff is not needed to regularly care for it, it doesn’t need any water, and only needs to be painted occasionally.

Artificial grass might be common for professional and college fields, but it’s not maintenance-free and can have some disadvantages like producing a hotter field for athletes by retaining heat and can cause skin abrasions and burns or other injuries.

Since artificial turf can be expensive to put in, grass football fields are still the norm for most K-12 schools and smaller football leagues.

According to Pro’s Choice, there are five types of grass that are commonly used for football fields: Kentucky bluegrass, fescue, and perennial ryegrass in cooler climates and bermudagrass and zoysiagrass in warmer climates. Ryegrass is mainly used to overseed and repair damaged areas during the season.

Football fields can be tricky to maintain because the sport is so damaging to the grass and playing season typically takes place during the time when the grass is not actively growing.

Maintenance for grass fields is key and it’s important to establish a good rootzone, install proper irrigation, and mow regularly. Major tasks like reseeding, fertilization, and weed control are also crucial components for a field that both looks great and is good to play on.

Tell us: Which do you prefer? Artificial turf or grass football fields?